Mail-box.



R. L. DAVIS.

MAIL BOX. APPLICATION I'ILED JAN. 13, 1910.

1 030 391; Patented June 25, 1912.

avwewto'c awe (Maw ROY L. DAVIS, 0F DEFIANCE, OHIO.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1912.

Application filed January 13, 1910. Serial No. 537,893.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Roy L. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Defiance, in the county of Defiance and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail boxes, and more particularly to boxes designed for use on rural routes, and has for its object to provide a box which may be moved toward and away from its support so that, when moved away from the support, it will be brought into more convenient position for the rural mail deliveryman to deposit mail within the box.

Another object is to provide a structure in which the box will be automatically opened when thus moved, and will be automatically closed when returned to its normal position.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, and it will be understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the box in normal closed position, Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the box drawn outwardly and in open position.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a supporting post 5, to the upper portion of which there is secured an upwardly extending rod 6.

An arm 7 is provided, and is bifurcated at its lower end, the resultant portions being bent outwardly as shown at 8 and engaged beneath staples 9 which are driven into the post at the lower portion thereof. The upper end of the arm 7 is turned outwardly at an angle, as shown at 10, and secured upon this portion 10, there is a mail receptacle 11, having a top 12 hinged thereto at its rearward edge for movement into and out of position to close the receptacle.

The rod 6 is flattened, and at its upper portion is given a half turn as shown at 6 to dispose its upper extremity in a plane at right angles to its lower extremity.

A rod 13 is provided and is given a similar half turn at its center, one end of the rod 13 being pivoted against the upper extremity of the rod 6, and the lower end of the rod 13 being hinged to the forward edge of the top 12 of the box.

The forward end of the portion 10 of the arm 7 extends beyond the forward edge of the box as shown at 14, and is formed into a looped handle which may be grasped by the mail carrier to draw the box out from the post 5, this movement being permitted by the hinge motion of the arm 7 at its lower end.

When the box is moved outwardly, the top 12 will be raised through the agency of the rod 13, as will be understood, and when turned to its normal position, the top will be closed.

An eye 15 is formed in the rod 6 above the top of the post 5, and a similar eye 16 is formed in the rod 13 adjacent to its lower end. Engaged in these eyes there are the ends of the helical spring 17, which holds the rod 13 normally against outward movement, and thus maintains the box 11 yieldably in its normal position.

An opening 18 is formed in the lower portion of the arm 7, and engaged through this opening, there is a headed member 19, which is secured to the post 5, and which thus limits the outward movement of the arm 7. This limit is at such a point that the top 12 is prevented from moving rearwardly beyond its center of pivotal movement, and thus the proper action of the spring 17 is assured.

In the modified form'of the invention, the rod 6 is extended downwardly and is fiattened in the form of a plate as shown at A, this plate at its lower end having ears B which are perforated to receive the ends of the portions 8 of the arm 7. A tongue C is stamped outwardly from the plate A and is engaged through the opening 18 in the arm 7, the extremity of this tongue being turned upwardly to produce a head D. The tongue C thus takes the place of the member 19 of the first described form.

It will of course be understood that the plate A is secured against the post in any suitable manner and that by the use of this plate a complete integral article is formed which may be secured to any suit-able support such as the side of a house or to the horizontal members of a board fence between the posts thereof.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a support, of an upwardly extending rod secured to the support, an arm pivotally connected with the' nections between the second named rod and the free edge of the top for movement of the 5 top into open position when the arm is moved away from the support, and a spring arranged to hold the arm yieldably against movement away from the support.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, 20 in presence of two witnesses.

ROY L. DAVIS.

. Witnesses:

JOHN W. PovENNmR, W. E. MYERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

